One person is dead after a wreck involving a tractor-trailer and a box truck on Interstate 78 East in Williams Township.

Pennsylvania State Police at Belfast say Alexandro Luis Morales, of Lansdowne, Pa., was driving his 2006 Freightliner tractor-trailer east at 6:49 this morning when he struck a 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso Cantor box truck, which was parked on the shoulder of the highway.

The box truck, operated by a 58-year-old man whose name has not yet been released, was pushed forward until it overturned, according to a news release. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene about an hour later by Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek.

After striking the box truck, Morales swerved to the left, crossed over the eastbound lanes and landed in the center median with the trailer blocking the left lane Interstate 78 East. Morales was not injured, said state police at the Belfast barracks.

The crash happened at mile marker 74.9, about one mile west of the New Jersey line. The box truck had significant rear damage, and the tractor-trailer, from Schneider National, had significant front-end damage.

Police continue to investigate and ask anyone who witnessed the crash to call 610-759-6106.

Interstate 78 East remains closed at Route 33,
according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's traffic
site. Officials are directing eastbound traffic to turn around and cross
the median to go west. Westbound traffic is also affected by the
backup.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Ron Young said Route 33 South is closed just after the entrance to Interstate 78 West. He said today's traffic problems show the importance of Interstate 78, which carries 40,000 to 50,000 vehicles a day that would otherwise travel on Route 22.

"If they were taking Route 22 every day, this is what you would get," he said of this morning's eastbound traffic jams.

His advice to drivers going east through the region is first to defer travel if possible, but if that is impossible, Interstate 80 to the north or the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the south can help drivers avoid the congestion on Route 22.Check back for additional details as they become available.

View full sizeExpress-Times Photo | SUE BEYERTraffic has been backed up on Route 22 East this morning as officials diverted drivers from Interstate 78. Two other crashes also occurred on Route 22 this morning, near the toll bridge past the Fourth Street exit in Easton.